Dr Karen Alt leads the NanoTheranostics Group at Monash Unversity. The central objective of her research is to develop imaging techniques to better understand the underlying mechanisms of different disease progression and the impact of therapy. Dr. Alt's career has primarily centered on molecular imaging, the development of novel tracers, and their testing in various animal models, including those for cancer and cardiovascular disease. More recently, his work has also encompassed diabetes and its complications, such as fibrosis in the kidney and heart.
Kidney fibrosis is a common complication of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, resulting in altered organ structure and function. It is a significant pathological feature, often triggered by kidney injury due to diabetes. Current imaging methods for diagnosing and monitoring kidney fibrosis are limited by their indirect and invasive nature. Thus, there is an urgent need for precise and non-invasive diagnostic techniques that also allow for therapeutic monitoring.
We have developed a novel method to detect diabetes induced kidney fibrosis as a diagnostic tool and as a monitoring approach to track the anti-fibrotic effect of established and novel treatments.
Kidney fibrosis is a common complication in diabetes, resulting in altered organ structure and function. It is a significant pathological feature, often triggered by kidney injury due to diabetes. Current imaging methods for diagnosing and monitoring kidney fibrosis are limited by their indirect and invasive nature.
We have developed a novel method to detect diabetes induced kidney fibrosis as a diagnostic tool and as a monitoring approach to track the anti-fibrotic effect of established and novel treatments.